Levy Appointed to ITTF Paralympic Athletes Commission

In September 2010, retired Para Pan-Am gold medalist Ed Levy was selected by the USATT Athletes Advisory Council to be the American nominee for the inaugural ITTF Paralympic Athletes Commission. Following an election process at the World Championships in Gwangju, Korea, Levy was appointed as the commission’s Americas representative.

Levy’s presence on the commission will greatly aid USATT as it works to integrate disabled table tennis into its High Performance Plan and create a solid foundation enabling continued excellence on the World stage. When asked about his vision and role within the commission, Levy states “I see myself as having the vital responsibility to be a competent and firm voice for North and South American players competing at the sport’s highest level, a context where their opinions and needs often go unconsidered. However, my duty does not stop there. The commission aims to ultimately function as a non-partisan entity that understands it must work together to advocate effectively for all athletes participating in international disabled competition, regardless of where they are from. In this regard, I am committed to assisting in the continued promotion of equal recognition and prizes for both disabled and able-bodied elite athletes, clean sport and stringent anti-doping rules, adequate playing conditions and accommodations at all sanctioned international tournaments and improving table tennis access among disadvantaged groups and regions”

The commission’s first meeting will take place in Lignano, Italy in March and Levy’s term will last until the next World Championships in 2014.